Review of Circle Diagram Number Two

According to "Phassapaccayā Vedanā" – We talked about the six types of vedanā (feeling) yesterday. These six types should be understood as six based on the location where they arise. The five types of vedanā mentioned later are differentiated based on the mode of feeling (vedanā) or based on the object (ārammaṇa). To summarize what we've discussed so far: Viññāṇa, nāmarūpa, saḷāyatana, phassa, vedanā – these five links are now complete. These five represent the present life, the current existence. In the Suttanta method, they can also be called the Five Aggregates (khandhās). In the Abhidhamma method, the Five Aggregates are: rūpakkhandhā (aggregate of matter), vedanākkhandhā (aggregate of feeling), saññākkhandhā (aggregate of perception), saṅkhārakkhandhā (aggregate of mental formations), and viññāṇakkhandhā (aggregate of consciousness). So, one might wonder how these two relate. Viññāṇa is the viññāṇakkhandhā. From nāmarūpa, the mental part (nāma) consists of the 52 mental factors (cetasikas); among them, vedanā is the vedanākkhandhā, saññā is the saññākkhandhā, and the remaining 50 cetasikas (other than vedanā and saññā) are the saṅkhārakkhandhā. Rūpa (matter) is the rūpakkhandhā. From the saḷāyatana (six sense bases), the first six sense bases are the rūpakkhandhā, and the last one, manāyatana (mind base), is the viññāṇakkhandhā. Phassa (contact) belongs to the saṅkhārakkhandhā, and vedanā (feeling) is the vedanākkhandhā. Grouping similar items together, we get back the Five Aggregates according to the Abhidhamma method. Therefore, it's just a difference in name; it's essentially the same thing, like sesame porridge and rice porridge – different names, same essence. Existence (bhava) is constituted by these Five Aggregates. Let's just talk about the human realm. We'll leave aside the matters of devas (gods) and brahmas as they are not so directly relevant to us. In the human process, from the very beginning of life, the Five Aggregates are fully present. Even at the moment of rebirth-linking (paṭisandhi), the Five Aggregates are complete. At the moment of paṭisandhi, both viññāṇa (consciousness) and nāmarūpa (mind and matter) arise. Right there, the Five Aggregates are complete. The subsequent gradual developments also just merge into these Five Aggregates. In brief, it always comes back to the Five Aggregates. The moment of paṭisandhi is an insignificant, tiny moment. The period from after that moment until just before the death-consciousness (cuti-citta) is called the life-continuum (pavatti kāla). This can be referred to as life (bhava). The death-consciousness is just a momentary arising and passing away. So, we want to discuss the processes of the Five Aggregates during the pavatti kāla. If we condense the Five Aggregates, it's just rūpa (matter) and nāma (mind). If there is rūpa and nāma, the Five Aggregates are complete. Expanding it, we get the Five Aggregates. When we look at these Five Aggregates with the ordinary eye, we see them as a person. We see a man, a woman. We see U Mya, Maung Hla, Daw San, Ma Myint. We see and perceive them with names attached. This is because we have always looked at it this way throughout saṃsāra (the cycle of rebirths). It's the conventional view. We cannot say this view is wrong. In the conventional world (sammuti loka), these views are necessary. Conventional designations are the truths spoken in the conventional world, hence called conventional truth (sammutisaccā), right? Terms, words, symbols, names are all designations. Therefore, sammutisaccā refers to these designations. The entire world operates using these designations. All terms, words, and names are designations. Without them, how could we record, differentiate, speak, teach, or explain? It (consciousness) is nāmarūpa, and the body is also nāmarūpa. Nāmarūpa cannot just decide to talk to nāmarūpa. We have to make inventions using these designations. We record using designations. We pass on teachings using designations. We write and read literature to understand using designations. We preach Dhamma using designations. We speak using designations. In worldly matters, designations are extremely important. "Where are you from?" – this question uses a designation. "You" is not an ultimate reality. "I'm from Yangon" – the answer also uses a designation. "Ah, he is from Yangon city" – we understand that. Without using designations, even communication would not be smooth. He is not from Mandalay; he is from Yangon, so he says he is from Yangon. He is telling the truth. This is a truth, not a falsehood. Therefore, it is called sammutisaccā – the conventional truth, the truth established by the world, the worldly truth. Thus, we must remember that in the world, holding only to the ultimate truth (paramatthasaccā) is not practical. It simply cannot be done. Why? Because the Dhamma itself consists of designations. For example, rūpakkhandhā (aggregate of matter) is a designation. It can be translated into English as "the aggregate of corporeality." Since it's a designation, it can be translated from one language to another. In ultimate reality, the essence doesn't change when translated, but the designation changes. Rūpa (matter) refers to the nature of impermanence, decay. That nature of decay, that momentary arising and passing, does not change no matter what language you use to describe it. The words may change as desired. Vedanā is feeling. Vedanā is the designation; the nature of feeling is the ultimate reality. This nature of feeling is the same in whomever it arises – be it in a human, a dog, a deva, or a brahma. The nature of feeling does not change. The name can change. One may call it 'feeling', 'sensation', or 'experiencing'. The intrinsic nature does not change. That nature is called the ultimate reality (paramattha). Therefore, designations are indispensable for knowing and understanding ultimate realities. To understand paramatthasaccā, sammutisaccā is essential. Even the Buddha had to use conventional terms to make the truths known. He had to say "Bhikkhave" – "O monks, my sons." He had to say "Ānanda" – "Ānanda." He did not teach by saying "rūpa nāma" (matter and mind). Every word he used was also a designation. Using these designations, he had to explain to make people understand the ultimate reality. He taught using designations to reach the ultimate reality. Thus, in the worldly sphere, designations are very important. In the supramundane sphere – in the practice of vipassanā (insight meditation) – one must strive to let go of all these designations. Only by being able to discard designations can one know the true reality, the true nature of the ultimate elements. Now, in this Dependent Origination (paṭiccasamuppāda), the ultimate reality is also being illustrated using designational terms. There is no person, no god; only the Five Aggregates exist. So, it reveals the truly existing Dhamma of the Five Aggregates. When we strip away the designations and names, only the ultimate phenomena of the Five Aggregates, rūpa and nāma, remain. It is shown to enable seeing through to the ultimate reality of rūpa and nāma by eliminating persons, beings, devas, and brahmas. Looked at as an aggregate process, only rūpa and nāma exist. Rūpa is the 28 types of matter. Nāma is consciousness (citta) and mental factors (cetasikas). Consciousness is just these six types: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and thinking. From these six, the associated mental factors also come along. So, to summarize circle (2): When the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind respectively come into contact with visible forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangible objects, and mental objects, the mental groups (nāma) of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and thinking arise. Due to the convergence of these phenomena, contact (phassa) arises; because of contact, feeling (vedanā) arises. This arising process of dhamma, this aggregate process, is what is called a human, a deva, a brahma, a hell-being, an animal, a peta (ghost), an asurakāya (demon). It is merely naming, applying designations and giving labels. When speaking of this group of phenomena as aggregates, for example, when the seeing-consciousness arises – say the 'seeing Five Aggregates' arise – upon the eye and visible object making contact, at the moment the seeing-consciousness arises: 1. The eye and visible object are rūpa – rūpakkhandhā (aggregate of form) 2. The experiencing is vedanākkhandhā (aggregate of feeling) 3. The slight noting, recognizing is saññākkhandhā (aggregate of perception) 4. The slight effort to take note of what is seen is saṅkhārakkhandhā (aggregate of mental formations) 5. The seeing-consciousness itself is viññāṇakkhandhā (aggregate of consciousness) Thus, as soon as the seeing-consciousness arises, the Five Aggregates arise simultaneously. This is said to be the arising of the seeing Five Aggregates. Similarly, one should understand the arising of the hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and thinking aggregates. The fact that they arise together as Five Aggregates and also cease simultaneously becomes clearer once one understands these principles. Therefore, if you want to meditate on mind (citta), you can; if you want to meditate on feeling (vedanā), you can. Meditate on whatever you prefer. When meditating on mind, you must see its cessation at the point of arising. When the mind ceases, all the other aggregates that arose together with it also cease. When meditating on feeling, you must also see its cessation at the point of arising. When feeling ceases, all the other aggregates that arose together with it cease. Therefore, knowing the point of arising is very important. Its point of arising is its point of cessation; its point of birth is its point of death. If you don't know the point of arising, you won't know the point of cessation either. With this, it should be understood that circle (2) refers to the process of the present life. Looking at the process of the present life, one understands that it is not a person or a being, but the Five Aggregates, the phenomena of rūpa and nāma. One understands, "Ah, the Five Aggregates refer to this arising process." Understanding this arising allows one to understand this cessation. One understands that if one aggregate ceases, all cease. I think we have covered quite a lot of points to understand. In essence, the process of the present life is merely: Five Aggregates > Nāmarūpa > Arising and Passing Away > The Truth of Suffering. Ven. Dr. Ashin Parami